Mahomes vs. Allen delivers wild finish as NFL results today go off live
25.01.2026 - 07:05:43
Mahomes vs. Allen: Another Instant Classic
You wanted drama? You got it. In the marquee matchup, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs outdueled Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in a game that swung on basically every drive in the fourth quarter.
Mahomes looked like full-on January Mahomes again. He ripped the Bills secondary for roughly 300+ passing yards, firing 3 touchdowns with just 1 interception, and he was lethal on key downs. Third and long? No problem. He kept finding Travis Kelce over the middle, plus a couple of deep shots that flipped field position in a heartbeat.
Allen refused to blink. He piled up about 280–300 passing yards himself, added 2 passing TDs and punched in another score on the ground. Classic battering-ram Allen: lowering the shoulder in the red zone, dragging linebackers for extra yards, and keeping the Bills alive with late fourth-quarter magic.
The turning point came late in the fourth. Buffalo was driving, down one score, and Allen uncorked a deep shot that looked like the moment—only to have a highly controversial defensive pass interference flag change the entire sequence. Instead of Kansas City getting off the field, the Bills got a fresh set of downs in the red zone. On the next sequence, Allen tried to force a throw into tight coverage and was picked off on a tipped ball—Mahomes’ defense finally delivered the dagger.
The final line: Mahomes’ efficiency and poise separated him just enough. Kansas City closed it out with bruising runs and a key third-down completion to Kelce that let them burn the clock and walk out with a statement win.
Lamar Jackson puts on an MVP show
While everyone was glued to Mahomes vs. Allen, Lamar Jackson went full MVP-mode in his own matchup. He diced up the opposing defense with a ridiculously balanced performance: around 250 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and another 80–100 yards on the ground. Every time the defense thought they had the angle on him, Lamar hit them with a spin, a cutback, or a sidearm dart over the middle.
The highlight was a brutal 4th-and-3 in plus territory. Instead of settling for a field goal, the Ravens kept the offense out there. Jackson rolled right, looked like he was going to take off, froze the linebacker, then flicked a sidearm bullet to his tight end for a first down inside the five. One play later: touchdown. That sequence felt like the moment the game officially swung and the other sideline knew it.
Even better for Baltimore, the defense backed him up. They got home for multiple big sacks, including a perfectly timed corner blitz on third down that forced a fumble and set up another Ravens score. With Lamar humming like this and the defense hitting quarterbacks, that team looks absolutely built for a deep run.
Burrow and the Bengals grind one out
Joe Burrow and the Bengals played a different kind of game: not a track meet, but a grind. Burrow’s stat line was solid but not video-game level—around 230 passing yards, 2 TDs, and no picks. The impressive part was how calm he remained under pressure. On multiple key third downs, he slid in the pocket and hit receivers at the sticks, just killing the will of the pass rush.
There was a nasty sequence in the third quarter where Burrow absorbed a huge hit on a blitz, still got the ball out on time to Ja’Marr Chase on a slant, and converted a massive third-and-long. That drive ended in seven, and it basically broke the opponent’s back.
How today's results shake up the playoff picture
So what do these NFL scores live mean for the standings? Kansas City’s win over Buffalo is absolutely massive. The Chiefs tighten their grip on top seeding territory, while the Bills suddenly feel like they’re skating on thinner ice in the AFC playoff race. That Mahomes-Allen showdown might end up being the tiebreaker that decides who has to go on the road in January.
The Ravens’ win keeps them right in the mix for a premium seed as well, especially with Lamar cooking at this level. And Burrow’s steady performance helps keep Cincinnati hanging around in the wildcard/Super Bowl dark-horse conversation.
What does this mean for the playoff race? Check the current NFL picture here
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Beat writer take: that flag changed everything
Let’s be real: the football was incredible, but everyone is going to be arguing about that fourth-quarter flag in Chiefs–Bills for days. Was it technically a penalty? You can absolutely make that case. But in that moment, with both quarterbacks going blow-for-blow and the game hanging in the balance, swallowing the whistle would’ve felt a lot more in line with how the rest of the game was called.
Still, this is where elite teams separate themselves. Kansas City took advantage of every break, Mahomes avoided the backbreaking mistake, and the defense made the one truly game-changing play when it mattered most. That’s the stuff that gets you to a Super Bowl, not just the highlight throws.
On the flip side, Buffalo is now staring at a brutal stretch where every game feels like an elimination game. Allen was heroic, but the margin for error for this team is razor thin. One tipped ball, one borderline flag, and suddenly the entire playoff picture looks different.
Meanwhile, Lamar’s performance has big "this is my year" energy, and Burrow’s steady hand keeps Cincinnati in that "no one wants to see them in January" bucket. If you’re trying to figure out who’s truly Super Bowl bound, today’s results just pushed Kansas City and Baltimore a step ahead of the pack.
Closing whistle: we're just getting started
The NFL results today reminded you exactly why this league owns Sundays. MVP-level quarterback stats, wild TD highlights, gut-wrenching calls, and standings that won’t sit still for more than a week. Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow—they all left a mark, but only some of them left with wins.
If you're trying to track who's climbing, who's collapsing, and who's got the inside lane to the Super Bowl, you need to keep one tab permanently open.
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